The "What If" Chronicles: The Littlest Tea Pot
by Asera
Summary: What would happen if Derek had raised Jacqi at the Legacy? How would being her father conflict with him being a San Fransico Precept? The very first installment of my "What If" Chronicles focuses on a day in Derek's life where being a tot's dada can be a


The Littlest Tea Pot

[][1]

The Littlest Tea Pot- written by [Asera][2]

Focus: Derek Rayne...and a two year old Jacqi.

Author's notes: Okay, Derek was never really given the chance to be a dad...to raise a kid. So what do you think would happen if he had? I thought about it and came up with a ton of little things that could be used for the little tot, and even some for Derek. Hope you enjoy my first story in this series. Tell me what you think, if you'll be so kind...even if you think its bad. Oh and so you know...Jacqi's dialect is misspelled on purpose...I mean how many two year olds do you know with perfect English.

*****

San Francisco Legacy House, June 1984

Dr. Derek Rayne sits at the head of the long wooden table conducting the morning conference, informing the legacy members of things to come including the arrival of a new member, when a bumbling voice is heard coming around the corner of the hall into the library. "Dada! Dada! Dada!" The young toddler exclaims as she tumbles her way over to Derek. "Daaaaddddddddaaaa!"

"That'll be all for now..." Derek tells the members as he concludes the meeting and they all begin scattering in different directions. He looks over to the young child but doesn't move instead he goes back to his paper work.

"Dada!" Jacqi shouts as she reaches where Derek sits ignoring her and looking over papers, she slaps her little hand on his knee demanding his attention. "I'm talkin you." She says upset he's still looking at his papers instead of at her...He looks out of the corner of his eye down at her pouting at him. "pay tenshun" as she slaps his knee again and stomps her little foot down making her little pig tails bounce.

He stares at her smiling as she pouts her lips and crosses her arms waiting to have his complete attention. "All right, Jacqi, all right." He turns his sight from the papers directly to her, "What is it?"

"No tell you." She turns her little body towards the door and begins stomping out. "No pay tenshun me, de me not tell."

"Hey wait a minute." He stands from the chair and grabs her from behind...she wiggles her little body trying to get lose from him but his hands are too big and much stronger than the little ones beating on them. "Stop that."

"No let go me!" He wraps one arm around her little waist, the other holds her little bottom, as he walks over to the Divan by the window and sits down with her in his lap to control her. "Dada go o me!"

"Not until you tell me what you came in here shrieking about." He holds her close to his chest as he laughs internally at her behavior.

"No serve tell..." He tickles her side with his hand as she begins to giggle. "Otay mayve tell"

"Okay...I'm paying attention to you...what is it?" He tells her sitting her down besides him, she gets on her knees turning towards him and playing with his tie. "Jacqi."

"Jani Wetspooni here." She whispers in his ear as she climbs up to her feet, putting one foot on his leg and the other on the Divan. "She say gonna stay while."

"Jane...did she tell you why?" Derek asks her as she runs her pudgy fingers through his hair and leans her head on his shoulder.

"Come t pay wid me. Gamma here too...and Auti Mildni...Unni Soani come lata." She tells him looking up at him seeing he's confused..."Dada no no why..." He shakes his head and she giggles...then gets upset. "Daddy foigot."

Derek thinks why in the world would Jane, Arthur, Sloan and his mother be at the house for. Perhaps there was a mission he wasn't informed of that would explain Jane, Sloan and Arthur...but his mother? He looks down at Jacqi who's begun to pout softly crying too. "Jacqi what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"Dada foigot bout me." She squints her little eye brows as she looks at him and then climbs down the divan and turns her little back towards him. "dada no love me." Derek thinks why is she upset...what did I forget..."Dada me boithday." She turns to see him her eyes red as she begins to puff slowly...getting excited. Derek looks at her...she scrunches up her nose and begins to shake violently, she throws her arms about as her head shakes around. Derek gets on his knees trying to calm her down as he knows what is to come if she continues...Ow...Too late he thinks when he's hit by a book on the head...Jacqi keeps shaking and starts speaking. "No...no...no...foiget me!" She begins convulsing, shaking, swinging...books begin flying like the one that hit Derek...the papers he was working on too...vases fall smashing into the wood floor. The pitcher of water on the table flies from its place and blasts into the hologram wall leading into the control room. Derek grabs Jacqi covering her with his body as another book falls on his head this time knocking him out and down to the floor. Jacqi unaware keeps shaking as she falls down with Derek on top of her....after a few moments she stops and begins to cry out loud.

*****

"I sowwe Dada." Jacqi tells him as she touches his face with her hands.

"It's okay Jacqi, you didn't mean to do this." He says as he looks around at the mess she made with her fit. "It's my fault."

"How you fault...me make things go phoom." She says as she swipes her arm across.

He shakes his head and tells her to forget about it as the other members walk in to see the mess. "Derek what happened?" Jane asks as she walks over to both of them and looks to see if they're all right taking Jacqi out of his arms.

"Dada bad." She bursts out.

"Nothing Jane, we're all right, just a little accident nothing to make a big deal out of." He tells her knowing if he says Jacqi did it...the Ruling House would make arrangements to have her studied. Jane nods' understanding what he's saying as Jacqi plays with her face and hits her forehead against her chest. 

*****

"Derek at least consider what Jane and Arthur are saying..." Robert Boyle tells his friend as he pats his back and then takes a drink of vodka.

"Could you send Nick away?" Derek asks.

"Nick isn't a problem...I can control Nick." He states.

"Derek." Jane intercedes placing her hand on his knee compassionately. "We would just like you to consider sending her now...while she's young to be taught how to control this...gift."

"Yes Derek." He looks up at Arthur. "While she's young she can be trained to use it."

"I can't send her away...I know its for the best but I can't do this...she's so little...she wouldn't understand." Derek tells them...unaware Jacqi stands at the door listening to them..." I won't promise to send her...but I'll think about it."

"Jacqi." Arthur says as he spots her looking around in the room.

The other two adults see the miniature child walk in looking at them...she ignores them and walks directly to Derek. "Dada...Unni Soani took me see party."

"He did." Derek picks her up holding her.

"We'll leave you alone." Jane tells them as she leads the other two men out of the room.

"Uh huh." She nods...dada gonna send me way....me make him pay....she thinks in her little mind as she plays with his tie.

"Where is Uncle Sloan now?" Derek asks a little upset that his child has taken to calling him Uncle.

"Unni Sloan had go way...he said baby sick...go see her." He nods understanding and then starts thinking...damn coward probably couldn't stick around to tell me what the rest did. She sees him looking away towards the papers on the coffee table. "Dada what thinin bout?"

He snaps out of his thoughts and back to Jacqi. "Was thinking what baby would like for her birthday?"

"Me wan stay dada foever." She tells him hugging him...and jumping into his lap.

"Forever." She nods as he squeezes her tilting her head slightly. "What if I had to send you away for a little while?"

"No...no send me way." She tells him rubbing her head on his chest...he nods his head agreeing...and she smiles...don't believe dada...he no want me no more...me make him pay. "Dada love me?" He nods his head. "Dada do anythin me want for boithday?"

"Anything." She giggles as she climbs out of his lap and runs towards the door. "Jacqi where are you going?"

She turns back smiling at him. "Me go get weady party...you do same."

*****

"Nice party Derek." Jane tells him as she looks around...pink, yellow, blue, lilac balloons and streamers decorate the garden. "But tell me don't you think you forgot something?" She says as she also observes that most of the guest were adults with the exception of Nick Boyle and a few other kids his age or slightly younger.

"Forget?" Derek asks as she nods. "What could I forget? I got the clown, the balloons, the streamers, all the members...the cookies, the pizza, the punch...her gifts...I even got her ponies and a damn elephant." He says sipping some punch. "What was there to forget?"

"Oh I don't know Derek...perhaps some children." Derek looks around and notices there aren't any. "You know it's a perfect children's party...the only thing lacking are..."

"Hey were are all the kids?" Robert Boyle asks jokingly as he walks over having overheard Jane's comment.

"All right...All right I screwed up...give me a break I was hit on the head earlier today." Derek says as he rubs the back of his neck and head where the book hit him.

"As I recall you planned this several weeks ago...didn't you." Arthur asks coming around with a piece of cake in one hand and some punch in the other. Derek sighs as Robert punches his arm, and Arthur stands next to Jane. "You know Jane you should really try this cake...it's really good." He says about to dig his fork into it after setting his punch aside on a hors d'oeuvre's table behind them. 

"Really Arthur how kind of you to offer." She smiles reaching over to take the piece of cake. "Don't mind if I do..." She says taking it from him and begins to eat it.

"Jane Witherspoon that was my cake." He states as he tries to take it back from her but she pulls away from his grasp.

"Haha, past tense Arthur was you're cake...now its mine." She says as she walks off with the cake and both Robert and Derek laugh.

"Dang woman." He says turning back to the two younger men. "If she wasn't so good at this I don't know what I'd do to her."

Robert puts his arm around Arthur's neck as he kids. "Marry her most likely." Arthur looks at him. "Come on Arthur admit it...you've always had the hots for her. Oooh Jane...get her Arthur...go on admit it...you'd love to get her." Derek stands back wanting to laugh out loud but holds it in as he sees Arthur being aggravated. "Bet she likes ya too."

Arthur tosses up his arms and walks off following Jane who begins eating up the cake faster as she looks for a place to sit. "Jane give me back my cake." He says as he chases after her...Robert and Derek laugh as they see him run after her...

"No stop it." Jane says as she sits down next to Barbara who's playing with Jacqi. "It's gone Arthur give up." He takes a seat next to her and begins poking at the icing left on the paper plate in front of Jane. "Hello Barbara." She says as she slaps Arthur's hand lightly and he pulls back...poking her in the side for taking her cake...Jane turns and looks at him, then turns back to Barbara and Jacqi.

"Hello Jane...Arthur." She says..."Jacqi did you say hello to Ms. Witherspoon and Mr. Mildner?"

"Hi Jani. Hi Auti." She says as she looks around to see if she can find Derek. "Where dada?"

"He's around baby...here have some cake." Barbara tells her spooning into her open mouth some cake. She chews slowly enjoying the cake as she looks for Derek. "Arthur, Jane would either of you like some cake?" Barbara offers.

"No thank you Barbara...I've had some and Arthur doesn't need any more." She says jokingly patting his stomach, Barbara smiles. Arthur glares at Jane playfully as she looks at him smiling..."Really Arthur I think it should be you who goes on a diet...starting to look a little round." She whispers as she leans over to him and then sits back up.

Arthur looks at her shocked and is about to reply when interrupted. "Hi Mr. Mildner..." A young Nick Boyle says as he walks up to the table.

"Well Hello Nick." He replies still poking at Jane for taking his cake and calling him round.

"Ni." Jacqi says jumping out of Barbara's lap and to him..."Come on...need help." She whispers pulling him with her not allowing him to greet the other two adults sitting besides Arthur.

"Jacqi." Barbara calls out to her.

"Don't wowwe gamma be back...tay." She tells her as she walks past the table with Nick.

"She's an adventurous little one ain't she?" Arthur says, Barbara nods smiling wondering what the tike is up too.

"Otay Nick...me need you help...here." She takes an audio tape from the sash wrapped around her dress and hands it to him. "When I tell you pay this in tayp corder."

"What for?" Nick asks wondering what his little friend is up too...hope she ain't planning something bad or else I'll get it.

"Jut do it...it supise dada." He nods and goes over to where the music system is set up as she continues on to where Derek and the older Boyle stand. "Dada." She says taking his hand calling his attention he looks down at her..."Dada member ealiwer you said do nythin me boithday." He nods. "You mean it?" He nods again. "tay come on." She pulls him towards the stage where the clowns had been performing...and climbs up with his help.

"Jacqi what are you up too?" He asks wondering.

"Dada gimme pesent. You do what I say tay?" He nods..." tay." She nods her head once affirmatively. "Mayk this smaller...need talk micophone." Derek lowers the open mike down to her level. "Scuse me people." She says loudly into it catching every adults attention..."Hi people!" She says smiling but gets upset when no body says hi back. "Scuse me people...I sai hi you sai hi back...it not nice me say it and you not. Tay...hi people!"

"Hi." The crowd responds as they too begin to wonder what the SF Precept's tike is up too.

"That better...I just wanna tell you thanks coming me party...cause it my boithday today. I two yeas ol." She smiles and everyone claps for her, Derek smiles at her when she looks up at him and takes his hand. "This my daddy." Everyone again claps for them, Barbara, Jane and Arthur look at them from the table in the rear and comment speculating what she might do. "He sai he gimme nythin I wan day. Ri dada?" He nods and they all clap once more. "So I gonna sing for all you...and dada gonna dance to it tay?" Everyone claps again as Derek looks out at the crowd of people...What have I gotten myself into...he thinks..."Dada you do I do tay?" She asks him seeing he's frozen..."dada you pomised." He nods slightly. "Tay...hit it Nick." Nick plays the tape of music when it begins to play _"I'm A Little Tea Pot"_ Jacqi starts to sing along with the words. "I'm a little tea pot short and stout." She looks at Derek who stands looking at her...and then out at the audience where she sees Robert Boyle laughing out loud and hard. She also sees Barbara, Jane and Arthur walking up closer from where they were at the table...laughing and giggling. " ...here is my handle..." She puts her hand on her waist and then looks over to Derek to see if he does the same..."Dada you gotta do me do...now!" She commands of him everyone laughs as she does and he follows her order. "here is my spout..." sticking out her hand to form a spot..."when I get all steamed up here me shout..." she sings into the mike while looking over at Derek. The audience continues to laugh...Derek stares out into it watching as they laugh and point at him...God I'll never be able to show my face in public again. "TIP ME OVER AND POUR ME OUT!" Jacqi shrieks into the microphone. "Dada sing now." The music begins again as Nick has set the system to play back automatically. "I'm a little tea pot! Dada sing it now...he dance too." Derek in full shock and embarrassment begins to sing along with Jacqi and dance. "Here is my handle, here is my spout. When I get all steamed up here me shout." She turns to Derek and tells him to shout as the crowd laughs and have started to sing along with them too. "TIP ME OVER AND POOR ME OUT!" She jumps around and swings from Derek's hand as she listens to the crowd applaud as they laugh and cheer. "Thank ya..." she looks over to Derek. "Dada say thank ya."

"Th..Th..Th..Thank You." Derek mumbles as he takes Jacqi's hand...he sees Robert, Jane, Arthur, Barbara, and every one of his house members standing around laughing and commenting to each other. "Come on Jacqi." He snatches her up in his arms and jumps off the stage as she smiles and says thank you again.

He walks past his friends and his mother as Robert calls out to him. "Hey Derek...Encore!"

"Shut Up Boyle." He turns to say as Jane and Arthur walk up to him with Barbara following them.

"Derek...how adorable of you to sing 'I'm a little Tea Pot'...Really you should've let us know and Arthur would've joined you on the piano." Jane tells him taking Jacqi from his arms...and playing with her poking at her tummy and rubbing her head lovingly.

"I don't think so Jane...I may like children but I draw the line at singing with them in public." Arthur says tickling Jacqi.

"This isn't funny." He looks at them red from embarrassment. "I won't be able to show my face again."

"Oh Derek look on the bright side...you can always take this gig on the road..." Robert jokes as the others laughs.

Derek throws his arms in the air, he turns to Robert as if to hit him but instead walks off in the direction of the house. Jacqi turns to see him and then turns back to Jane as her grandmother lifts her out of Jane's arms. "Dada cute tea pot" She giggles as they all laugh.

"Aw...and you're the littlest tea pot." Jane kisses her forehead as Barbara holds her. I make dada pay send me way....she thinks laughing...hehe...I bad gurl.

That's All Folks!

[][3] Back To Short Stories

*****

Disclaimer: This story is written by me, solely for entertainment purposes and at nonprofit. The characters are property of MGM/UA, Trilogy and anyone else who has property rights to them, I'm just borrowing them for a little while. Also I am unaware of who wrote and had the copyrights to the children's song used in this story otherwise I would give them credit. "I'm A Little Tea Pot" is used at nonprofit basically just to add a little fun to the read...please don't sue me.:p

   [1]: http://www.access-eworld.com/poltergeist_legacy/library/revival.htm
   [2]: mailto:asera_82@yahoo.com
   [3]: http://www.geocities.com/asera_82/fairy_tale/short_stories.htm



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